🎉 It's been 1 whole year! 🎉
I officially started working on Misu in March 2021.
I have learned so many new things since then, never thought I would keep going this long!
Can’t wait to finish it… however longer that will be!
Updates for this month:
- Redesigned the Eastern Forest – Split it up into two areas (town and forest deep)
- New mechanics
- Line up to form image
- Scent marking
- Timed collecting
- Woodcutting/ kneading (timed tapping, speed/rhythmic)
- Dialogue interaction AI (NPCs turn to face, Misu keeps her distance)
- Thoughts ðŸ’
- Refined lots of existing systems
- Red dot, intractability when in other menus, fishing view, AI generalization/ clean up
- New camera control method: close follow (almost like a one handed mode)
- Free clothing bug fixed
The Eastern Forest has been redesigned and split into two areas! Still not the final design/models and such, but much more detailed. The first area is the forest town, the second is an expanse of dense forest.
New Mechanics
Image lining up: Line up parts of a broken image to make it whole from a certain point of view
Timed collection trial: Collect all items (in this case leaves) before the time runs out
Scent marking: Scattered throughout the forest are specific trees that can be rubbed up against to mark ones sent
Speed/Rhythmic tapping: Timed screen tapping minigame with two different modes, tap as fast as you can (back and forth on both sides of the screen) and rhythmic tapping, try to maintain a steady rhythm while tapping
Now when Misu talks to other NPCattos, they no longer give her the cold shoulder. When dialogue is entered, they will turn to face Misu and when the dialogue is exited, they will return to what they were doing before. Misu will also try to maintain some personal space by backing up if too close to an NPCatto when dialogue is initiated. (she got tired booping everyone’s snoots)
Misu now haves thoughts, as well. Although the design is not final, certain triggers will display Misu’s thoughts which will contain information to help the player. These thoughts last on screen for a set amount of time or can be tapped to disperse.
Otherwise, lots of small fixes, changes, and updates to existing systems such as updating the visuals for the red dot mechanic making it stand out some more against grass. Limiting world intractability when in dialogue, the fishing view, etc and visually representing such. Much of Misu’s AI got some refinement, making actions a lot more open ended allowing for variability so that every action need not its own specific AI tree.
Added another camera control method, one where the camera automatically follows right behind the player allowing for basically one handed play (created because I am lazy and got tired of manipulating the camera during testing).
Lastly, fixed a bug that allowed the player to “steal” clothing items without paying. All clothing items are now checked whether they are owned or not before saving! Good cats only here!
**Models, animations, and images are not final**